Cameras equipped with a function for recording the number of prints on film are now in wide use. Such a camera is typified by an ASP camera.
Assume that a group photo, for example, is taken. With the above-mentioned camera, the number of prints of the group photo, which is equivalent to the number of people in the photo, is set before the photo is taken, whereby this information is recorded in a magnetic recording area of the film. Then, when the film is developed at a laboratory, the number of necessary prints can be developed. This is a very convenient feature.
There are also cameras and viewers that enable the number of prints to be set after photos have been taken. With such a device, the number of prints necessary can be recorded in one-to-one correspondence with each frame of the film after photography but before development. This eliminates errors in correspondence between a photo for which a plurality of prints are desired and number of prints. In addition, if the setting is made on the spot upon taking the photo, the user will no longer forget to make extra prints later. This also is a convenient feature.
There have also been proposals in which an already shot image or an image that will be shot has its enlargement magnification changed by trimming using an electronic zoom or the like, or in which a setting is made to print after development in a color tone different from the original color tone, as by specifying development in sepia tones.
By way of example, the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-43955 proposes a technique in which a print zone is shown explicitly in the form of a border on an index print so as to enable identification of trimming information appended to each frame, or in which identification can be made as by a change in the color of a symbol or character that indicates a print zone. This enables the user to ascertain in advance the zone to be printed and therefore makes it possible to verify composition or make a change to trimming in simple fashion. These also are convenient features.
Further, the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-32215 proposes the simultaneous printing of a standard original image, which is obtained by applying standard image processing to one photosensitive material, and a processed image obtained by application of processing conditions (e.g., image color tone, sharpness, gradation, trimming, enlargement magnification, etc.) different from those of the original image. With this technique, the original image and the processed image can be seen simultaneously so that the user can ascertain the differences between the images, the effects of processing, etc. This is convenient.
However, in regard to a camera or viewer equipped with both the above-mentioned function for setting and storing numbers of prints and the image processing function obtained by applying processing (e.g., image color tone, sharpness, gradation, trimming, enlargement magnification, etc.) under conditions different from those of the original image, the examples of the prior art do not particularly address the relationship between numbers of prints and image processing.
Accordingly, if, in a case where a number of prints has been set to the number of people that appear in the image, processing has been specified that will result in a sepia color (or a black-and-white photo) of the image for which the number of prints has been set, or an enlarged photo of a particular person in the image has been specified, then, with a camera or viewer that does not indicate how these functions are interrelated, the prints required may not be obtained or a large number of unnecessary prints may be produced.